Widest cargo or passenger van in Australia for conversion
Mark1 said
12:48 AM Sep 25, 2018
I'm sure someone has already scoped this out before. Are there any vans (not caravan) which will fit a full size bed widthways rather than lengthways? On Redbook the Transit seem to be the widest but the measurement includes the mirrors. Internally, they weren't as wide as I was hoping.
Yuglamron said
08:46 AM Sep 25, 2018
One of the widest I know is the VW Crafter. I think that one in bare form is about 5cm short of a standard double. Obviousle new or second hand.
This link has the dimensions internal and external.
The Mercedes Vario would make a good MH Not sure of the internal dimensions but you could guestimate from the photos of this one for sale. Vario only second hand.I think they stopped in 2013.
Welcome to the gang Mark, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Have you thought of or looked at a Coaster or similar
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
Peter_n_Margaret said
09:45 AM Sep 25, 2018
Mark, if you are doing this conversion yourself then you are skilled enough to build the body from scratch.
I bought an OKA bus. I removed the body and started from the chassis. There are many advantages in doing this.
The windows & door are where you want them, and the style you want, the body is square and much easier to fit out. It is exactly the width and height you choose and you get decent insulation by default.
The body building material is very easy to work with...vanglass.homestead.com/
Cheers,
Peter
Kebbin said
11:18 AM Sep 25, 2018
So your going to buy a van to suit a mattress? Why not buy the mattress to suit the van? Makin Mattresses will do that for you and it will fit the space if measured properly.
PeterInSa said
02:38 PM Sep 25, 2018
I would seriously consider a Extra Long Wheel Base, an Extra High Roof, Sprinter or Fiat Ducuato Van with a Drop down length ways rear bed ( over the U shaped rear lounge).
Warren-Pat_01 said
10:46 PM Sep 25, 2018
Hi Mark,
Welcome to a great forum we hope you will appear here more than once. There is a lot of experience here.
There are some disadvantages in having east-west beds - while they save space, making them is more difficult & if the partner on the wall side needs to have a leak in the middle of the night, it is often difficult to crawl out over the partner. We found it was easier if both got up at the same tie!
We had a Jayco Eagle - one reason why we bought a van with single beds!
Mark1 said
02:25 AM Sep 26, 2018
So many replies, thanks everyone! I'm looking for something with a little stealth otherwise I would probably go for a bus, but it's probably a Cargo for me at this stage. I need to the mattress to suit the inhabitant (me, at 6ft) and so yeah the van kind of has to fit the mattress, not so keen on the idea of sleeping all curled up.
Well I did make a little progress, these guys seem to have done it in a Promaster, which seems to be a Ducato maxi. I like the fixed bed idea with the mountain bikes stored in the garage underneath, in fact I'd pretty much like to build their van! www.youtube.com/watch
I have also been checking out some of those really long wheelbase sprinters, or maybe a 460VM transit. I'll keep that in mind Warren thanks. I can be a little acrobatic though and my partner sleeps solid so we might be alright.
I'm really not sure I do have the skills to build a body, but that sounds like a great way to go if you know how. But yeah, would not have the look of an innocent cargo van parked on the side of the road, so that might be a down the track option.
Tony Bev said
01:14 PM Sep 28, 2018
I hope that it is not too late to say, welcome to the forum Mark1
It looks as though you got the van sorted
As far as going stealth
I would not be to bothered about it, too much, unless you have to hang around the built up areas
I have travelled over 80,000 kilometres in the past five years or so, in both a caravan, and the motorhome in my Avatar
I have free/donation/low cost camped 99.99% of the time
There are plenty of official free camps, if you are self contained
My theory is, (so I could be wrong)
That if we do the right thing, and spend some money in the small towns which give free camping
They will have an incentive, to keep the free camps open
I'm sure someone has already scoped this out before. Are there any vans (not caravan) which will fit a full size bed widthways rather than lengthways? On Redbook the Transit seem to be the widest but the measurement includes the mirrors. Internally, they weren't as wide as I was hoping.
One of the widest I know is the VW Crafter. I think that one in bare form is about 5cm short of a standard double. Obviousle new or second hand.
This link has the dimensions internal and external.
https://www.anchorvans.co.uk/specifications/volkswagen/crafter/
The Mercedes Vario would make a good MH Not sure of the internal dimensions but you could guestimate from the photos of this one for sale. Vario only second hand.I think they stopped in 2013.
https://www.truckworld.com.au/used/buses/school-bus/mercedes-benz/vario/qld/1997/220251/?query=/buses/b~mercedes-benz/m~vario/&f=v~1-z~15-
Good Luck,hope you find something that suits.
Welcome to the gang Mark, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Have you thought of or looked at a Coaster or similar
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
I bought an OKA bus. I removed the body and started from the chassis. There are many advantages in doing this.
The windows & door are where you want them, and the style you want, the body is square and much easier to fit out. It is exactly the width and height you choose and you get decent insulation by default.
The body building material is very easy to work with...vanglass.homestead.com/
Cheers,
Peter
Welcome to a great forum we hope you will appear here more than once. There is a lot of experience here.
There are some disadvantages in having east-west beds - while they save space, making them is more difficult & if the partner on the wall side needs to have a leak in the middle of the night, it is often difficult to crawl out over the partner. We found it was easier if both got up at the same tie!
We had a Jayco Eagle - one reason why we bought a van with single beds!
Well I did make a little progress, these guys seem to have done it in a Promaster, which seems to be a Ducato maxi. I like the fixed bed idea with the mountain bikes stored in the garage underneath, in fact I'd pretty much like to build their van! www.youtube.com/watch
I have also been checking out some of those really long wheelbase sprinters, or maybe a 460VM transit. I'll keep that in mind Warren thanks. I can be a little acrobatic though and my partner sleeps solid so we might be alright.
I'm really not sure I do have the skills to build a body, but that sounds like a great way to go if you know how. But yeah, would not have the look of an innocent cargo van parked on the side of the road, so that might be a down the track option.
It looks as though you got the van sorted
As far as going stealth
I would not be to bothered about it, too much, unless you have to hang around the built up areas
I have travelled over 80,000 kilometres in the past five years or so, in both a caravan, and the motorhome in my Avatar
I have free/donation/low cost camped 99.99% of the time
There are plenty of official free camps, if you are self contained
My theory is, (so I could be wrong)
That if we do the right thing, and spend some money in the small towns which give free camping
They will have an incentive, to keep the free camps open